QSR1887/4/5/8-9

Depositions of Tom Edridge, King Street, Luton and William Chamberlain of Luton. In the case of Walter Seymour & William Cook accused of stealing and receiving straw plait.

27 August 1887

From: 1887 To: 1887

Tom Edridge assistant to Messrs Lane, Lambie and Cain. The prisoner Seymour was in the employment of the firm as a packer and it was his duty to be at the warehouse at 8am to open it. The other hands came about 8.50am. He was alone between those times. On 25 August he was shown the bag and plait. He recognised the plait but not the bag. The plait would have been kept on the top floor to which Seymour had access. The plait is the only sort in the town and its value was 46 shillings. Seymour had no right to the plait. They had not missed the plait. William Chamberlain: on 25 August he was watching the Messrs Lane, Lambie & Cain warehouse at 8.20am. He saw the prisoner Cook come to the bottom of King Street with a bag rolled up under his arm. Cook stood at the corner for a minute or two and then Seymour appeared at Lane & Co’s side door. Cook went to the door and came out half a minute later without his bag. Seymour came out about 5 or 6 minutes later and went towards the path. Cook came back and went in the side door again, Seymour being outside still. Cook came out half a minute later carrying the bag full of something. Chamberlain followed Cook and stopped him, asking what he had in the bag. Cook said he had bought some plait off a man up the street but he did not know who the man was. Cook said he would know the man again. He took Cook back to the warehouse and Seymour was at the corner with a brush in his hand. Cook said that Seymour was the man. He took them both into the warehouse and Seymour said he had not seen Cook for some days. He kept them there till Edridge came and identified the plait. He then charged Seymour with stealing the plait and Cook with receiving a quantity of plait. Statements of the accused: nothing to say

item

Cook, William,
Seymour, Walter,
Edridge, Tom,
Chamberlain, William

LUTON, stealing, receiving stolen goods, Straw Plait, straw plait merchant